Lewiston store owner helps immigrants with food delivery service

Maine’s beautiful and vast rural landscapes are what drew many of us to call this place home. But if you can’t drive or don’t have a car, it’s extremely difficult to access work, education, and essential services, especially in places where public transportation is limited. This is a huge challenge for asylum seekers arriving in Maine.

Alice Ntsame stands at the counter of her store, Syon Shop and Services, on Lisbon Street in Lewiston on June 26. Ntsame speaks six languages, some “just a little bit” to help her international customers. Andrée Kehn/Sun Journal

Think about it: It can take months to apply for asylum and get a driver’s license. They also likely won’t be able to buy a car until they find a job. That requires a work permit, which they can’t even apply for until 150 days after they file their asylum application, and then wait months more for it to be approved.

This delays their self-sufficiency. If they cannot work and drive, they also cannot afford to eat or access other essential services.

There are two bills currently before Congress, including one from U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, that would speed up the process for newcomers to obtain work permits. This would make a huge difference in how quickly asylum seekers and other immigrants can become independent. In the meantime, I am proud of my friend Alice Ntsame, a New Mainer, and the work she is doing to address some of these issues.

After arriving in Lewiston in 2016 from her native Gabon and seeking political asylum, Alice and her family struggled to get around and acclimate. They took taxis when they could find one and afford one, but it was rare. Her nieces, who accompanied her, could take the bus to school. But Alice says she had to rely on neighbors who had cars to drive her to and from the bakery where she worked. It was stressful trying to coordinate daily commutes, and she worried she would become a burden. Still, her community rallied to support her when she needed it. She hasn’t forgotten their generosity.

A year ago, Alice opened Syon Shop and Services in Lewiston. She sells groceries and products for Maine’s sub-Saharan African population, like cassava flour, Mungusu/ndjombo smoked fish, and African leafy greens. The best part? She and her team offer free delivery, making food more accessible to everyone. She says it’s her way of giving back to the community.

A simple grocery delivery may seem trivial with services like Instacart and Doordash available. But what Alice does is much more meaningful than that. The items she offers aren’t readily available anywhere else in the state and can provide much-needed comfort to someone missing a traditional African meal or way of dressing. It also gives her customers a connection to the local community. They can gather in her shop and meet neighbors, whether they’re out of town or born in Maine.

When I’m craving my favorite Congolese dishes, like fufu (a starchy side dish) and ntaba (goat meat), having a place to buy culturally appropriate ingredients is essential. Eating foods that remind us of home helps my wife and I feel closer to the family members we miss.

The delivery service began a few months after opening, when Alice realized that many of her customers were traveling up to an hour from cities like Portland and Brunswick to shop at her Lewiston store. The heavy shopping bags were cumbersome for her customers who had to walk home or take them on public transportation, so they stopped less often or chose not to buy items they really needed.

She and her husband, whom she married last year, or one of their employees, began offering to drive customers home to make it easier for them to get everything they needed in one trip. “I got so much help when I got here,” she told me. “If I can give back to others, that makes me happy.”

Alice Ntsame organizes the shelves June 26 at her store, Syon Shop and Services, on Lisbon Street in Lewiston. Ntsame carries a variety of products, both foreign and domestic, to serve her largely international clientele. She also offers delivery services for customers who don’t drive. Andrée Kehn/Sun Journal

There’s no doubt that the gift of autonomy Alice offers these newcomers will set them up for success. She herself is proof of that. Once she landed her first job and, eventually, her own car, she was able to save enough to buy a house for herself and her nieces in 2020.

The oldest will be heading to college in Bangor in the fall, and the other is doing just as well in her studies. Now, after just one year as a business owner, Alice and her husband are also looking to expand by opening a second store in Brunswick. She is also using the business administration degree she earned in Gabon by going back to school to become a business coach and help other immigrants realize their entrepreneurial dreams.

I am proud of the work Alice and our legislators are doing to help newcomers become self-sufficient faster. Of course, she also provides incredible service and products that all Mainers can enjoy. I hope you will visit her shop and say hello if you see me there.

Conversations with Newcomers to Maine is an occasional column that focuses on the challenges faced by newcomers to Maine. Héritier Nosso is a health promotion coordinator and community organizer in Lewiston.

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